• Blog

    Because a year is a long time…

    December 27, 2019

    5/10/2013

    Mr Right and Other Mongrels Mug and Postcards Promotional MaterialIt’s just on a year since my first novel Mr Right and Other Mongrels came out on Amazon. Having your first book out is both mind-numbingly terrifying and amazingly exciting.

    Putting yourself out there to be judged by the entire universe is a tough thing to do. Of course you’re going to make mistakes, of course some people won’t like your work, of course some people you thought would jump for joy over your achievement are ambivalent at best.

    Then of course there are the triumphs. The positive reviews, the people you meet on the journey, the unexpected person who does marvel at your efforts.

    Since then I’ve published two more books Hearts Afire and just this week Alphabet Dating so I guess that’s not bad going for a year. I had hoped to have my 4th book out by now but life isn’t that simple is it? Building Attraction will be out in July.

    Anyway because it’s a year since the release, because I’m planning the sequel and because it’s Mothers’ Day this weekend the e-book of Mr Right And Other Mongrels will be only 99c for the next few days!

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  • Blog

    Musical Monday – ode to New York

    December 27, 2019

    5/5/2013

    Alphabet Dating Mug and Kindle EditionDue to the release of Alphabet Dating this weekend I have songs about New York on my mind.

    If you download the book drop me a line and let me know what you thought. I’m hoping the paperback will be available in a week or two.

    I’ve never lived in New York but I have been lucky enough to visit a few times. New York is a very long way from Sydney so I never seem to get to stay long enough.

    My first trip to New York was on my 16th birthday and I was there for less than a day. That’s a very long story I won’t share with you now but this song will always remind me of that day.
    And because I’m apparently feeling nostalgic on this fine Monday morning here is one of my all-time favourite New York songs from the movie Top of the Town, which I love. ( I may have watched so many old musicals as an early teen that I must admit I’m still a little sad when people don’t break into song and dance routines more often. Maybe I’m not alone, everyone loves a flash mob.)
    Finally here’s one that I think the lovely Serena from Alphabet Dating might enjoy.

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  • Blog

    Alphabet Dating is out now on Amazon…competition winner is!

    December 27, 2019

    5/3/2013

    Alphabet Dating CoverI am very happy to announce that Alphabet Dating is now available as an e-book on Amazon
    http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CMHEVXG

    The paperback version will be out in a couple of weeks.

    And the winner of the free e-book from the competition I ran on this site is Ashley Scherrer…so Ashley look out for that e-mail.

    As the celebrations continue this week I have a few more competitions planned so stay tuned!

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  • Blog

    Look what the mailman brought me!

    December 27, 2019

    5/1/2013

    Alphabet Dating Mug and Tote BagAlphabet Dating is with the formatter and should be live on Amazon any day now.

    Meanwhile, look what arrived today!

    A very cute Alphabet Dating tote bag and of course a mug to have my coffee in while I write. How exciting is that?

    That’s about all I have to tell you today…I’ll be back.

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  • Blog

    A little update and musical Monday

    December 26, 2019

    4/28/2013

    Alphabet Dating CoverMy blogging hasn’t been to consistent lately. I apologise.

    I had a big weekend with Hearts Afire going free on Amazon on April 26 & 27. My baby made it to #20 in the free Kindle store and #6 in Contemporary Romance.

    I was pretty happy with that because it means lots of people downloaded her and hopefully enjoy her. (Yes my book is definitely a she). Hopefully they like her enough to but either Mr Right and Other Mongrels or Alphabet Dating when it comes out later THIS WEEK!

    Yes I sent that book of to the formatter, and assuming my general technical incompetence and ignorance of Dropbox and file sharing in general hasn’t failed me, the book is now in very good hands.

    If you want to go in the draw for a free e-copy of Alphabet Dating fill in the form on my landing page.

    Finally I heard this Shakira song on the weekend and it reminded me of the main character in a book I’m working on so I thought I’d share it here for musical Monday. The girl in my book has always done everything right but life hasn’t exactly been kind to her…so she can’t quite believe her luck when she finally gets happiness.

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  • Blog

    Taste of Tuesday – with Serena form Alphabet Dating

    December 26, 2019

    4/22/2013

    Alphabet Dating CoverToday I thought I’d do a twist on my usual Taste of Tuesday feature and interview Serena the main character in Alphabet Dating which will be out next week!
    ***
    First of all Serena please tell us a little bit about yourself:
    Ok, Monique. I’m an ex-pat Australian living in New York. I work as a book reviewer though I am also writing my own novel, very slowly. I also have a crazy bunch of friends who came up with a hair-brained scheme they called The Alphabet Dating Plan. It means I have to go on 26 dates in one month, one for every letter of the alphabet!

    1. Do you prefer sweet or savoury foods (i.e. cheese or chocolate)?
    Oh definitely savoury! I mean I won’t say no to a Tim Tam but give me a cheese plate any day.

    2. Red wine or white? (Wine obviously)
    Actually I rather like a nice French champagne.

    3. Do you have a favourite food memory?
    My family and I have lived all over the world so I have lots of amazing food memories but after I had a car accident a few years back I have developed an obsession with soups. I find them nurturing and so comforting.

    4. Does food feature in your novel(s)?
    Food features quite a bit in Alphabet Dating. It’s hard to go on so many dates and not eat! There’s also my obsession with soups and a Thanksgiving feast in the book so plenty for the food lovers.

    5. What recipe are you sharing with us and why?

    I’m sharing a recipe for Carrot Soup. It’s super simple, inexpensive and very yummy.

    Carrot Soup
    1 tablespoon butter
    1 onion diced
    3 rashers of bacon, diced
    1 teaspoon of dill.
    500g carrots, peeled and sliced
    250ml chicken stock or veggie
    100ml cream

    1. Melt butter in saucepan and soften onion slowly.
    2. Add bacon and stir till just cooked.
    3. Add carrots, dill, s &p.
    4. Add stock to cover carrots (if not quite enough add some water). Simmer until carrots soften.
    5. Puree in a blender or with a stick blender.
    6. Stir through cream.
    7. Enjoy!

    ***
    Alphabet Dating will be out soon

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  • Blog

    Focus or too many balls in the air!

    December 26, 2019

    4/17/2013

    Alphabet Dating CoverHearts AfireMr Right and Other Mongrels

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    I think one of the hardest parts of writing is keeping your focus on the most urgent project. I’ve decided I’m not very good at this.

    At the moment my list includes:
    – final edits on Alphabet Dating
    – writing the first book in a new series
    – making final edits on another project to send it to a publisher
    – sending brief for the cover of the book I’m releasing in June called Building Attraction
    – a series outline of my new series
    – an outline for the sequel to Mr Right and Other Mongrels and planning for my research trip for that book to LA in June.

    All those things are important but it’s lots of balls in the air in between my day job, organising a college reunion, managing a home (when my husband has hurt his back and therefore is lying flat doing nothing), running my daughter about these school holidays.

    It’s why my blogging and tweeting and Facebooking has been a bit minimal of late.

    Must FOCUS now!

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  • Blog

    I haven’t been blogging because I’ve been…writing

    December 26, 2019

    4/5/2013

    KeyboardSorry I’ve been such a hopeless blogger the last couple of weeks. I seem to have patches where I do a great job on the consistency and then it falls away.

    That frustrates me and when it happens because I’m distracted or uninspired but this time I haven’t minded.

    If I’m absent because I’ve been writing then that’s OK with me.

    Writing seem to come to me in waves and right now I’m on a roll so that’s lovely. My absolute favourite part of writing is creating new characters and heading off on a journey with them. It fills me with delight and pleasure every time.

    So apologies if my blogging is sporadic but I’m a writer so I must write.

    In other news Alphabet Dating is having it’s final round of edits now so not long to wait!

    Alphabet Dating CoverComing this month!

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  • Blog

    Songs for Alphabet Dating

    December 26, 2019

    3/27/2013

    Every novel, just like a movie, seems to have a soundtrack. (At least the ones I write do).Here are a couple of songs that fit the soundtrack for Alphabet Dating. Who doesn’t enjoy a musical interlude?

    Alphabet Dating CoverAlphabet Dating will be out in April.

    Comments

    Pamela Cook
    3/27/2013 08:21:03 am

    Great clips Monique. Especially love the Billy and Bruce one – two of my favourites singing a legend of a song. Perfect choice for Alphabet Dating! I’m thinking I really do have to go to New York!
    Reply
    Monique
    3/27/2013 10:31:33 am

    I chose the Bruce version for you! We should hit NYC together. There must be a writing conference we can attend in the next couple of years 🙂

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  • Blog

    Procrastination and editing – natural friends

    December 26, 2019

    3/25/2013

    Statue of LibertyAlphabet Dating is set in NYC!
    I wish procrastination was an art that reaped rewards. I’d be a multi-award winner, I tell you.

    I know lots of people procrastinate and where writing is concerned the thing I put off and dance about and make myself sick worrying about and avoiding is editing.

    Today I’ve done a massive edit of Alphabet Dating. Why it has taken me until today to do it I do not know. I think I work better with tight deadlines. Also, I avoid things I’m not naturally good at.

    I love the blank page and the possibility of heading off on an adventure with new characters as they weave their way through adventures and chaos. Re-writing those adventures, conceding that you’ve overused certain words or under-written ceratin sections, well, that’s a whole lot less fun for me.

    I have a close friend who works in the corporate would and she says “we’re not finishers, Mon.” We’ll both work on a project for a year and then put of writing the final report, which might take a matter of hours. I’m the same when it comes to invoicing for my day job. You’d think, given I won’t get paid if I don’t invoice I wouldn’t put that off right? Wrong!

    I think I dislike editing because it holds a mirror to the flaws in a novel – I do realise the whole reason you edit is to fix them – but I think it makes it very real. This book has been two beta-readers. It’s been given a good edit. I’m re-editing it. Then once I finish I’ll then send it to someone else to re-edit. And then maybe someone else as well. After that however there’s nothing left to do but send my baby out into the world…I think that’s why it’s scary and why we put it off…not just me, loads of writers do it.

    I think that’s why editing and procrastination are natural friends especially if like me, procrastination is pretty natural anyway…why do you procrastinate?

    Comment

    Brea
    3/27/2013 12:42:56 pm

    I procrastinate about anything I dread doing: laundry, the recycling at work, marketing, blog writing and posting. The funny (perverse) thing is… the longer I procrastinate, the longer that horrible task–whatever it is–hangs over my head. When I finally just pull up my big-girl panties and do whatever it is, it’s done. Except laundry. That’s NEVER done.

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